Method of making wheel hubs



March 10, 1931-.

C. L. EKSERGIAN EI'AL METHOD OF MAKING WHEEL HUBS FIG. 2

Filed May 27, 1929 1N VEN TORY Cmzows LEKSERGIAN BY JOHN TAQBOX.

A TTORNE Y.

Patented Mar. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CAROLUS L. EKSERGLAN,OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, AND JOHN P. 'I'ABBOI OF PHILA- DELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS TO BUDD WHEEL COMPANY, 01' PHILADEL- PHIA,PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA METHOD OF MAKING WHEEL HUBBApplication filed May 27, 1929. Serial No. 886,268.

In the bbtuse angled rolling of hubs together with integral flanges,brake drums, discs or the like, the hub barrels are difficult to formwithout unduly high temperatures a and undue die wear, not to mentionthe high pressures which aflect not only the dies but the bearings andother wearing parts of the machine. This is for the reason that theelongated barrels of the hubs are formed by axially deep dies which arediflicult to fill except under high temperature and pressure, and forthefurther reason that the coring out of the hub is still more diflicult toachieve except under temperatures and pressures equal- 1y high or evenhigher. If the barrel is not formed exteriorly and interiorly duringobtuse angled rolling operation, there is considerable machining to do.If it were not for this high temperature the condition might bealleviated to some extent by oversize initial formation. But yetfurther, the attainment of full and adequate cross sections of certainkinds of flanges requires a full feeding of metal radially outward toinsure this fullness of section and this full feeding of metal outwardlymilitates against perfect formation of hub barrel under certainconditions. Yet the process of obtuse angled rolling is at once soeconomical of metal and cost of production that it is a great asset inthe achievement of cheap yet high quality hubs.

The primary object of our invention is to construct hubs by a processwhich utilizes obtuse angled rolling in such a manner as to obviate manyof the fore oing difliculties and to overcome others. he processinvolves utilization of obtuse angled rolling to form.

one radial section of the main body of the hub barrel together with anintegral flange or brake drum or disc, and another process of formingthe remaining radially divided section of the main body of the hubbarrel and a subsequent rigid joining of the two together. Specifically,we form integrally by obtuse angled rolling a radially divided sectionof the main body of the hub barrel and a radial flange intermediate itsends. VVe-cut from preformed tubing of a lesser diameter" the remainingradiall divided section of the hub barrel, expand t e inboard endthereof substantially to the diameter of the obtuse angled formedsection and thereafter butt weld the expanded end of the tubular sectionto the projected end of the obtuse angled rolled section.

In the accompanying drawings we show the rocess.

Figures 1 to 4 show one modification of our invention,

Fi e 1 showing an axial cross section of the o tuse angle formed sectionof the hub barrel and its integral flange,

Figure 2 showin an axial section of a severed length of tu ing,

Figure 3 showing a similar section of the same length of tubing with itsinboard end enlarged and Figure 4 showing the formed parts of 7 Figs. 1and 3 butt welded to ether.

Figures 5 to 7 show a mo "fication of our invention in a manner similarto the showing in Figs. 1 to 4, and

Figure 8 is a diagram of the obtuse angled rolling operation.

The main body of the hub barrel is divided in a radial plane 10 asindicated in Fig. 4. The inboard section of the main body of the hubbarrel so radially divided is designated 11 and the integrally formedradial flange intermediate its ends is designated 12. In theillustration this flange also constitutes the head of the brake drum perse 13. The outboard radially divided section of the main body of the hubbarrel is designated 14.

The inboard radially divided section 11 and its integral flange 12 weform by obtuse angled rolling as indicated diagrammatically in Fig. '8.The axial length of the section 11 is relatively short as compared withthat of the section 14 and relatively short as compared with theover-all len h of the barrel. Its thickness is considerab e ascommonlymet with in forged hubs. Its flange is likewiseofconsiderable thicknessof root and body to give adequate'stiflness' for the provision of boltholes, the anchoring of studs and the like securing devices for the 100attachment of wheel bodies thereto demountable or otherwise. Of suchdimensions and proportions the structure becomes most readily rollableby obtuse angled process at economical temperatures and pressures. andwith perfect and integral flow and distribution of metal for fullness ofsection and perfect form, even in the matter of the coring out of thecenter. In fact. in such form the center may be cored out almost tofinal dimension leaving but a minimum of machining. The flange 12 insuch form may or may not carry the brake drum. The brake drum may beseparately attached thereto. The flange 12 may be the root' of a wheeldisc, a spoked wheel body or the like or utilized as a foundation forany other wheel body.

The section 14 we cut from preformed tubing of a diameter less than therolled diameter of the section 11 and of a length substantially equal tothe remaining length of the completed barrel, as indicated in Fig. 2. Wethen expand the end of this preformed section of tubing by a forgingoperation to the form shown in Fig. 3 in which the expanded end issubstantially equal in diameter to the diameter of the inboard obtuseangled rolled section 11 of the hub barrel. The tube may be preformed inother ways than in long lengths. It may be formed in individual lengths.Suffice it that it is preformed. The expanding operation of the inboardend may be achieved in any desired manner, for 'ng, rolling, spinningand the like but pre erably by an axial forging operation achieved byaxially disposed dies. The two radially divided sections of the mainbody and the hub barrel are then Welded together, the outwardlyprojecting end of the inboard sect-ion 11 to the inwardly projectingexpanded end of the outboard section 14.

In the modification of Figs. 5 to 7 the hub is axially divided on acylindrical surface 15. But obtuse angle rolled section 11 as before isrelatively short, and it is also of relatively greater diameter than theinternal diameter of the completed hub. The tube formed section 14 isrelatively long and of the full length of the barrel. Its externaldiameter is substantially equal to the internal diameter of the obtuseangle rolled section 11. The two are joined together by arc welding inthe cornice as indicated at 16. Of course, the surfaces areappropriately machined after the rolling and tube forming operations andbefore assembly so that they snugly fit upon each other. Fig. 5 showsthe preformed obtuse angle rolled part, Fig. 6 shows the preformedtubular part 14 and Fig. 7 the completed product.

It must be realized that all of the showings are relativelydiagrammatic, that precise contours. precise dimensions, precisetolerances, etc. are not shown. It must be evident also that there areyet other modifications of the method of our invention which fall withinits generic spirit. These vari ous modifications and variations in formare likewise to be protected to us in the annexed claims.

What we claim as new and useful and desire to protect by Letters Patentis:

1. The method of forming hubs which consists in obtuse angled rolling ofthe hub flange and one part of the main body of the barrel, and buttwelding another part of the barrel to the rojecting end of the one part.

2. T e method of making hubs which consists in obtuse angled rolling ofa radially divided part of a main body of the barrel together with aflange intermediate the ends of that part, and butt welding the otherradially divided part to a projecting end of the one art.

3. The method of forming hubs which consists in obtuse angled rolling ofa radial flan e and one radially divided part of the main body of thebarrel, forming the other radially divided part of the main bod of thebarrel from a section of reforme tubing, and butt welding said radiallydivided parts together.

4. The method of making hubs which consists in obtuse angled rolling ofthe inboard radially divided section of the main body of the hub barrel,in cutting from preformed tubing the outboard radiall divided section ofthe main body of the ub barrel, and butt welding said tube sections ofthe barrel together.

5. The method of forming hubs which consists in obtuse angled rolling ofthe inboard radially divided section of the main body of the barrel andan integral flange of determinate diameter, forming the outboardradially divided section of the main body of the barrel initially frompreformed tubing of a lesser diameter, flaring the inboard end of saidsection of tubing to the determinate diameter of the obtuse angledrolled section, and thereafter butt welding said sections together.

In testimony whereof we hereunto aflix our signatures.

CAROLUS L. EKSERGIAN. JOHN P. TARBOX.

